Tanzania’s government has signed a $154 million contract with the state-run China Harbour Engineering Company to expand the main port in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania is seeking financing for infrastructure projects as part of its plans to transform the country into a regional transport and trade hub.

Under the contract funded by a World Bank loan, CHEC, a subsidiary of the state-run China Communications Construction Co Ltd, will build a roll-on, roll-off terminal and deepen and strengthen seven berths at Dar es Salaam port.

Deepening and strengthening of the berths will allow big container ships to dock in Dar es Salaam. All these efforts are being done in order to increase competitiveness of the port.

Tanzania hopes expansion of the port will increase container through output to 28 million tonnes a year by 2020 from around 20 million tonnes currently.